A dull cold spring day but it is drying up a little at last. I have started to spring-clean. Last Tuesday Rene and I cleaned porch and the cupboard on the landing. Thursday the pantry and Friday the “scullery”. Very pleased to get all of these done. Tomorrow I hope to clean the kitchen, am expecting Mr Faulkner to sweep the chimney in the morning, but he says that he went to the fire without breakfast this morning and had to go to bed this afternoon. The fire started about 8 a.m. at Miller’s garage and burnt his car and amusement place also burnt out the NAAFI but was got under control and did not hurt Canning’s shops tho’ they took out a lot of stock some of which was damaged by water. It being Sun. morning we saw nothing of it and did not know until Jean came from Chapel at dinner-time. Miss Moore did not know until she came in this afternoon to practise or rather to watch Rene practise bandaging on Jean. Je got her new watch from Meadow’s yesterday, an Ingersoll wrist watch, Swiss made 32/6. She had been saving up a long time and had got 30/0. Rene gave her the 2/6. Samuel’s were unable to supply one under £3.10.0 owing to the war. She is very thrilled with it. Let’s hope it wears well.

Father has another wretched cold. Wish he could get free of them. He is missing a watch tonight. Ron hopes to get home again on Wed. Says his cold is better. Roy was home Tue. to Fri. He is to be married at Sk[egness] on April 19th if all is well. Maisie is to be married at the R.C. Church Skegness on April 13th. I should like just a peep at the marriage “lines”. She is having white dress and veil and Con is bridesmaid and the “reception” is at Lily’s Café. R[oy] and J[oan] are going straight away to Matlock and having no reception. Don’t know when Eva is going to be married, officially I don’t even know she is going to be married, but the registrar sent her a message by Maisie. I should think this was quite out of order. I am sure H’s [Harnesses] would rather anyone else had known about it than Ransons. Ralph Faulkner is home and has brought a girl. Gracehas to register next week and Dotty Raynor and Dor[een] Johnson with the next lot. Think V[era] Rob[inson] will be registering Saturday. Oh dear this weary war. Jean has started copying Nipper cartoons out of Daily Mail. Does them well. Hope it will improve her art.

Walter Miller’s amusement arcade (closed for the winter season with his car stored inside) was in the village centre, near ‘The Pullover’ (see Village Map). (Walter was a Royal Observer Corps member and daughter, June, was in the Girls’ Life Brigade with Jean.) Mr ‘Bert’ (Thomas Herbert) Faulkner (see 2 Apr. 1941) was at the fire as a part-time fireman.

The NAAFI – Navy, Army and Air Force Institution – provided shopping and social facilities for servicemen.

‘Canning’s shops’ refers to several built by John Henry Canning, near ‘The Pullover’.

Maizie Hill, about to marry Bernard (‘Ben’) McGuigan, was the granddaughter of Rose Hill (see 2 Feb. 1941) who had brought her up as a daughter. Maizie (her own chosen spelling since a teenager) had been born to Rose’s daughter Ciss Hill, who was later the wife of Percy Ranson. Ciss and Connie were sisters.

Lily, née Boddice, Monk’s café and dress shop were near Stow’s stores, near ‘The Pullover’. Her husband was George Monk. Lily and her brother, George, had attended the village school with Rene.